Wrench.



1. A..i0HNSTON-& c. n. JACOBS.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. I916.

Patented J une 6,1916.

Gum/"M36 v E sATEs PATENT JOHN A. JOHNSTON AND CHARLES D. JACOBS, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J nine 6, 1916.

Application filed February 21, 1916. Serial No. 79,764.

United States of America, and residents of Bluflton, county of Wells, and State of Indiana,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following'is a full and clear specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of wrenches which have movable jaws which slide upon the shank of the other jaw, and has for its particular object to provide means whereby the movable jaw can be adjusted to different positions and the wrench operated by one hand. This and other objects hereinafter set forth and claimed are attained by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved wrench; Fig. 2 is a view of the wrench showing the jaws projecting downwardly, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a like view showing the jaws-projecting upwardly; Fig. 1 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through the movable jaw looking in the direction of its teeth; and

. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring.'- I

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawing designate like parts.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the shank 6 is formed atone end with a fixed jaw 7 and at its other end with a hand-grasp or handle 8.

Mounted to slide upon the shank 6 is the movable jaw 9 which is formed with a loop 10 which lies in alinement with the jaw 9, and a loop 11 which is spaced from the loop 10 and rigidly connected thereto by the integral housing or body-part 12. Thus it will be seen that the movable jaw 9 is freely slidable over the shank 6 and is retained thereon by the loops 10 and 11.

Shank 6, on its front side, is provided with a series of teeth 13,-and'the movable jaw is also provided or formed with a series of teeth 14, which coact with the teeth 13 to prevent the movable jaw from sliding toward the handle end of the wrench, and,

to retain the two sets of teeth in engagement at predetermined positions, a spring 15 is mounted at the back of the wrench and is retained in position and carried along with the movable jaw by its engagement with the rear wall 16 of the loop 11. This loop 11 has its rear wall 16 spaced from the back of the wrench, so that said rear wall can be pressed inwardly or forwardly to disengage the teeth 14 from those on the shank.

Spring 15 is provided with notches 17 on its sides in which the side walls of the loop 11 are positioned, so that any movement of the movable jaw will carry the' spring therewith. The ends 18 of the spring slidein a groove 19 in the back of the shank and said ends are narrower than the body of the spring to provide the shoulders 20 which are adapted for sliding contact with the'narrow edges 21 of the shank which are formed on both sides of the groove 19. The ends of the spring are also indented to provide the rounded'contactpoints 22 which engage with and slide on the bottom of the groove when the parts are being moved upon the shank.

The end of the groove adjacent the handle forms a shoulder or stop 23 which the corresponding end of the spring engages to limit the downward movement of the movable parts and also prevent the accidental displacement of the movable jaw from the shank, but, when it is desired to remove the jaw from the shank, the forcible lifting of the end of the spring over the shoulder will allow the sliding of the movable parts down over the'handle. Of course,

it is obvious that the parts can be assembled by simply sliding the moving parts over the handle toward the fixed jaw until the end of the spring snaps into the groove.

One important feature of this invention is to provide a wrench having a minimum number of parts and so constructed that they can be assembled and locked together without the use of rivets or screws, and this is secured by notching' the spring to pretween the parts, so that the movable part can be adjusted quickly and easily with the slightest amount of force. This is accomplished by forming the spring with the shoulders 20 which engage the narrow ledges at the sides of the grooves and also forming the rounded contact points 22 on the ends of the springs to engage the bottom of the groove. This construction prevents binding between the parts and reduces the amount of friction to a minimum.

Preferably, the front portion of the housing 12 is formed solid and its inner face lies in close proximity to the front face of the shank. This forms a rigid and solid movable member which is capable of resisting heavy pressures without danger of breaking the same and adapting the wrench for heavy strains, and at the same time provide a smooth sliding surface or shoe which will pass easily over the teeth of the shank, especially when the wrench is used in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The inner face of the housing 12 and the jaw 9 about the teethlt is spaced slightly from the front face of the shank to provide sufficient clearance for the jaw to tilt and disengage the coacting teeth, and the inner face of the jaw adjacent the upper end thereof is slightly inclined relative to the shank, to provide a fulcrum 23 on which the movable jaw tilts when the wrench is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

When the wrench is used in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the corner 24 of the loop 10 forms the fulcrum. In other words, two fulcrum points are provided for the movable jaw which engage opposite faces of the shank, depending upon the position in which the wrench is used, and the fulcrum on the toothed side of the shank, by reason of the slight bend, will not at any time fall between the teeth and prevent movement of the jaw when the teeth 14 are out of engagement with the teeth on the shank.

By observing Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that the teeth 14 are held in engagement with the teeth 13 by the spring 15 and that the clearance in the jaw is spaced from the front face of the shank and with the rear wall of loop 10 resting on the back face of the shank. This position is caused by the weight of the solid jaw and housing, and it is obvious that a pressure on the rear wall of the loop 16 will rock or tilt the movable member on the fulcrum point 2 f, dismember to rock.

engage the coacting teeth, and allow the free movement of the movable jaw, the clearance in the jaw allowing the movable Now, by observing Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be seen that the conditions are reversed, with the rear wall of the loop 10 out of contact with the shank and the inner face of the housing in contact, caused by the weight of the jaw, so that, should the loop 16 be pressed toward the shank, the movable member will rock or tilt on the fulcrum 23', disengage the coacting teeth, and allow the free movement of the movable member over the teeth on the shank, the inner face of which will slide readily thereover, owing to its fiat extended face, and because the fulcrum point cannot fall between the teeth owing to its fiat construction without a sharp edge.

Preferably, the spring is not under tension in the normal position of the parts, but is sufiiciently high to support the coacting teeth together; therefore, the slightest pres sure on the loop 16 will disengage the coacting teeth, and, the spring being under only a light tension, the movable jaw is easily adjusted back and forth.

As before stated, this wrench is especially adapted for use with one hand, its handle being grasped between the four fingers and the palm and with the thumb in engagement with the loop 16. Thus, without loosening the grip upon the handle and by moving the thumb, the movable jaw can be adjusted. Owing to the slight friction between the parts, little exertion is required.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A wrench, embodying a fixed jaw provided with a shank having a groove with closed ends formed in one face thereof and teeth on its opposite face, said groove form ing narrow ledges on each side thereof, a

movable jaw mounted to slide on said shank and provided with teeth to" engage the teeth on the shank to resist pressure exerted between the jaws,- and a spring for retaining said teeth in engagement, said spring having notched sides to fit over a portion of the movable jaw whereby it is carried therewith, formed with shoulders adjacent its ends to slide on'said narrow ledges, and provided with indented ends to form rounded sliding points to engage the bottom of said groove.

2. A wrench, embodying a fixed jaw provided with a shank having a groove with closed ends formed in one face thereof and teeth on its opposite face, said groove forming narrow ledges on each side thereof, a movable jaw having oppositely arranged fulcrum points mounted to slide on said shank and provided with teeth to engage the teeth on the shank to resist pressure exerted between the jaws, and a spring for retaining said teeth in engagement, said spring having notched sides to fit over a portion of the movable jaw whereby it is carried therewith, formed with shouldersadjacent its ends to slide on said narrow ledges, and provided with indented ends to form rounded sliding points to engage the bottom of said groove, one of said fulcrum points adjacent In testimony whereof we hereunto affix the teeth of the shank having formed adour signatures this 18th day of February, jacent thereto a fiat extended face to pre- 1916.

Vent said fulcrum point from entering be- 5 tween the teeth on the shank and slide freely JOHN A. JOHNSTON,

thereover. CHARLES D. JACOBS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

